Westborough 5, Grafton 1: Rangers' aerial attack dominates

Monday

Nov 6, 2017 at 6:56 PMNov 6, 2017 at 10:09 PM

Sure, the Westborough boys soccer team is perfectly adept at using its feet to pass and score. But the Rangers are also all about using its head, both in terms of the mental side of the game, which includes staying relaxed and playing smart, as well as to score goals.

By Jared Keene/Daily News Correspondent

WESTBOROUGH — Sure, the Westborough boys soccer team is perfectly adept at using its feet to pass and score. Being a possession-oriented squad, the Rangers are more than capable of controlling the game with the ball on the ground.

But Westborough is also all about using its head, both in terms of the mental side of the game, which includes staying relaxed and playing smart, as well as to score goals.

And everything the Rangers could do was on full display when third-seeded Westborough hosted sixth-seeded Grafton in a Division 1 Central quarterfinal on Monday afternoon. Westborough played a sound all-around match, and scored four goals on headers in a relatively dominant 5-1 victory over the Indians.

“Our kids played well,” Westborough coach John Hillier said. “We're a possession team and I thought we possessed the ball really well. For us, a lot of players have the capability of scoring, which makes us more of a dangerous and balanced team. But we can also score in a variety of ways, both with our feet and with our heads, and we were just better in the air than they were today. We work hard on that stuff in practice, whether it’s set plays or crossing. The more you practice, the better you get at those things.

“The guys play well together and they try not to be selfish. Just to get them to play relaxed, I think that's so hard, especially in the playoffs, but I think we did really well with that today.”

With the win, Westborough (15-1-3) will meet either second-seeded Marlborough or seventh-seeded Shrewsbury in the semifinals at Doyle Field in Leominster on Wednesday at 5 p.m. Grafton finishes with a 17-3 record.

The Rangers certainly aren't the tallest team around, but when it comes to scoring on headers, they know how to get the job done.

Sophomore winger Jackson Barry scored twice with his head, junior striker Jake Hughes opened the scoring with a header, and sophomore midfielder Icaro Vieira also scored with his head. And even Westborough's lone goal that wasn't a header — scored by senior midfielder Greg Amador — came following Barry's headed knockdown.

The key for the Rangers was attacking the back post, as they noticed the Indians’ defensive weakness of covering the weak side.

“Jackson and myself were open at the back stick almost the whole game,” said senior defense Tyler Stott, who had a part in two goals. “Playing the ball to us was working. We just had to make sure we were in the right place at the right time.”

“In practice, we work on crossing and set-piece plays,” added Barry. “In games, we just try to execute what we work by whipping a ball into the back stick and looking for a flick on or a knock down.”

It was a frantic start to the game, as Westborough took the lead in the sixth minute when Dan Bugaev's perfect left-footed cross found Hughes, and he powered a header past Grafton goalie Brendan Donahue (7 saves). But just two minutes later, the Indians leveled the score when David Toscano poked home a loose ball in the box from close range.

“We've definitely learned to keep our head in the game, stay focused, and rally the guys in those situations,” Amador said. “We just had to trust our style of play and get the goal back.”

That's exactly what happened as the Rangers began to elevate their play, and in the 24th minute they retook the lead.

Stott's long diagonal ball to the back post was headed back across the box by Barry to Amador, who controlled the ball before firing it in.

Westborough then delivered a backbreaking goal in the 35th minute when Rian Barrett's corner kick to the back post was headed back across goal by Stott to Barry, who easily nodded it home for a 3-1 lead.

“We talk about scoring in the first five minutes and the last five minutes of each half,” Hillier said. “That just demoralizes a team. When teams start relaxing on us, I think sometimes we sense that and take advantage.”

The second half was controlled by the Rangers, who added two more goals courtesy of Barry and Vieira. Westborough essentially had the ball in its attacking zone almost the entire half and had 15 shots — 10 of which were on target.

And everything went through Amador, who was superb throughout at center midfield. Whether it was winning tackles, keeping possession for the team, or making the right decision, Amador held down the midfield.

“I love to play that way just being the rock of the midfield,” he said. “Just being able to win balls and distribute out wide to create space for our attacking players. I just do my job.”

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.